Restocked some Japanese greens through Zencha this last week--shipping and packaging was, as always, very reasonable and prompt! Interesting note: I ordered their matcha sansui, which I've enjoyed in the past, and decided to try out their Gyokuro the Ultimate as well.

As I've never had gyokuro before, I have nothing to compare it to, but it's very dark green and intense, with a very pale green liquor--I'm still working out how to brew it, so I'm not sure on the taste yet. Oddly enough, the front of the (very pretty!) envelope it came in said 'Gyokuro the Ultimate', while the sticky label on the back said 'Premium Sencha'. So now I'm wondering if I actually did get gyokuro, or just a really high grade sencha ... and whether it matters as long as I like the result.

You can always contact them, they are prompt in replying. You will likely hear back from Nishiki (who is also a member of TeaChat).

The temp is uber critical for brewing a stronger session of Gyokuro Ultimate, 50* C. I use a ratio of 2 grams leaf to 1 ounce water. I suspect you can even go higher in leaf. Most times I go 90 seconds with a new arrival and will increase the time in subsequent sessions. At this low temp, PREHEAT EVERYTHING!

Since you are a newb to gyokuro, I also find the "precious dew" is best brewed in low volumes of water and served in small cups. Most times I only brew 2-3 ounces and serve in 1-2 ounce cups. This reminds me to truly savor the flavor, the moment!

Lastly, as with sencha, this gyo can offer several different "I must sit down" moments. Gyo Ultimate has an incredible aroma as the dry leaf warms in the preheated pot. Careful, it might blow your freakin' mind!

Thanks for the info, Chip! Thus far I've tried brewing the gyokuro in both my Seong-Il pots--100 ml and 120 ml respectively, using about the amount of leaf you recommend. You were right about the smell--especially in the unglazed 100 ml porcelain pot, it was seriously intense! And lingered long after the tea had been dumped out and the pot had been rinsed.

So far I am enjoying the gyokuro--it tastes to my untrained tastebuds a lot like sencha, but without the bitterness that often puts me off--and a lot more concentrated, of course. I have discovered the hard way though that you have to pay attention brewing it--a few seconds too long can really make a difference in the taste.

Chip wrote:Lastly, as with sencha, this gyo can offer several different "I must sit down" moments. Gyo Ultimate has an incredible aroma as the dry leaf warms in the preheated pot. Careful, it might blow your freakin' mind!

Chip, how do you find this compares to other high-end gyos you've had?

BTW, I've been a Zencha customer for years, since the days Naomi (who has since retired) handled customer correspondence. These are not only the nicest folks on the planet, they have some great tea as well. I highly recommend the Autumn Winter Bancha brewed cold, as well as Fuji the Ultimate, Shincha the Ultimate, mecha, guricha, and konacha (these last three are affordable and extremely interesting alternatives to conventional sencha). I'm trying to convince a friend to try their genmaicha (it's all he drinks), but he became so enamored of Hibiki-an's that he refuses to experiment.

Alex wrote:Love this vendor, Organic Kagoshima Sencha Matsu is a great one to try!

I've been carrying on my own love affair with them for years. I bit the bullet and ordered Kagoshima Sencha Super Premium Strong Roast to try, even though I tend not to be partial to Kagoshima teas. I'm happy to say that I recently took the bull by the horns and bought my friend their Genmai-cha Superior. He's now a fan and can alternate with Hibiki-an's genmaicha.